Flurp's Saying Of The Day: A woman needs a man like a fish needs a bicycle. (And can be vice versa if you so wish.)

Hello, all, and good morning to you! Your sad, Malevolent Mastersless life is about to turn around! I am your host. I am not a ghost, but you may call me Flurp. ^-^ So, Please enjoy!

one
the new masters

My eyes opened wide and my hands clung ravenously to the bars of the cage. I hadn't been fed in days and my hunger was driving me to the point of madeness. I heard voices. They started small then rose as they got closer.

"Tobi, Tobi. My dear naive Tobi," the taller man laughed mockingly. "If we don't get a new slave, then you will have to clean the hideout and do all of the chores. And you don't want that, do you?"

The boy called Tobi put his small gloved hands up to his masked face and shook his head.

"That's what I thought." The man said tenderly and they kept walking. The constant moans and whines of the slaves seemed to plague the small boy and he jumped at a hand that reached out to him. The rusty cages swung, held from chains on the ceiling, in their presence.

The hurried voice of the slave trader piped up nervously. "Yes, yes, here she is, the girl you payed for..." he laughed anxiously and took out a key ring the size of my head. He struggle getting the one he wanted off, for his hands shook timidly. The rusted key that would free me from my crampled confinements slid into the lock. I couldn't believe it! I was getting out of the stink filled rathole. The door swung open so fast that I fell to the floor, struggling to get up.

The tall, black haired man blinked. "Is this some sort of joke?"

"No, no sir, I um... This is our strongest, er, slave and um..." the short, stout trader studdered.

Suddenly, he was off the ground, held up only by his shirt collar. "Do you really think that you can cheat me out of a good slave? This weak pile of bones is nothing but dog food!" his red eyes practically glowed with anger. I shivered at the thought.

Tobi gave me a hand to help me up and I gladly took it, making a note to thank him later. "I-I assure you that she is quite a-a-a fine servant when she's been fed, I..." I sensed that the man feared for his life now.

"You worthless piece of-"

"Itachi." Tobi said quietly. I looked up at him through piercing green eyes.

"What is it?" he jerked his head toward Tobi, clenching his fist harder in the cloth.

"I sense great power in her." he uttered almost softer than before.

Itachi's eye twitched involuntarily and he let the trader fall to the ground. "Let me see." he placed a hand on my heart. He flinched as though I had insulted him and took the shackles that the trader carried, in return dropping a large pouch of money on his chest.

He cuffed my hands and led me out on a silver chain. "What is her name?" Tobi called back.

"That is for you to decide!" he replied weakly, as if he were going to faint.

"...you will clean the hideout, you will cook the meals, wash the clothes..." Itachi was going through the long list of chores that I would do as their new slave, though I wasn't paying much attention. All I could think of was food and my voracious stomach, yearning for even the slightest bit of nourishment. The sands were barren of any living creature besides the occasional scorpion or scarab, and they were too fast for me in my current state. I swayed when I walked, and Itachi had to pull the chain every once in a while to make sure I didn't lag too far behind.

"I said is that clear?" Itachi yelled. I quickly nodded, afraid of being beaten as harshly as by my last master.

"Good."

I wiped the sweat off my forehead and winced at the roaring in my gut. Tobi took a radish out of his bag and was about to slide it under his mask until he looked over. I hadn't realized I'd been staring, so I quickly looked away. He reached in his bag and took out another holding it out to me. I blinked. "Go on," he said kindly. "Take it."

I did and took the biggest bite of my life, swallowing the entire thing in under thirty seconds. Only then did I remember that I hated radishes. Strangely, I didn't have to struggle to keep it down like usual.

He laughed. "Hungry, aren't you?" His voice was the shrill chime of a young boy's. He was at least four or five years younger than I. His swirling orange mask only made everything in the seemingly never ending desert more confusing, so I decided to look away.

Moments later, we came upon an opening in a large castle-like wall. I assumed that it was my new residence and followed Itachi inside. It was dimly lit and I could hear arguing in the room that we headed straight to. I felt fearful. When my last master would argue with his wife, he would be drunk and beat me afterwards.

"Don't worry." I heard Tobi whisper in my ear. It gave me a bit of comfort knowing that the only person who had shown me kindness in years would assure my safety.

We entered the room to two people sparring, three sitting on a large sofa spectating. It all stopped when I entered. Suddenly, I was the center of attention. I blushed.

"She's pretty!" one of the boys yelled. The one sitting with him agreed suggestively. The two boys fighting earlier rolled their eyes and the single girl looked down.

A blue person came down the stone staircase saying, "Eeeey! The new maid is here!" and threw me a pile of clothes. I staggered, but kept my footing.

"Where should I, um...?" I tried to ask Itachi, but he just shook his head.

"I think that we should show her around first so that she can do her duties properly." He smiled painfully.

I lifted my hands, still tied, signifying for him to lead the way. We went through the stony passageways to several rooms, all which looked as though they hadn't been operated in quite some time.

"Last but not least, your room." Itachi said, opening a wobbly doorknob and pushing the creaking door open. The room was large, but filled with little. A small mattress layed on the ground next to a box of candles and a box of matches set on a metal plate. The floor was wooden and the walls were a yellow-white and chipping like the door. An empty closet lay waiting in cobb webs for whoever may fill it (like I had any other clothes other than what I was wearing). Another door leading from the room was barely attatched, and I guessed it led to a bathroom. Finally, a little book shelf stood in the corner. It was quaint, but so perfect, I could hardly contain myself from hugging Itachi.

I cleared my throat. I had let my emotions get the best of me, and couldn't let it happen again. "So, when do my duties start?"

"Tomorrow morning."

"Th-the morning, sir?" I was dumbfounded. I rarely got any sleep with any of my other masters.

"Yes, the morning," he said as if I were an ignorant child. "It's almost eleven pm. Get your rest. You'll need it." He closed the door softly behind him.

I walked freely around the room, taking in the musty air of my new home. The jouney was so long, it must have turned to nightfall and I didn't even know it. To add to the long list of things I didn't notice, Itachi had unchained my hands. I'd guessed my hunger was making me delirious.

I let myself fall back on the mattress. It was the softest, most comfiest thing I'd felt in years. Maybe this time it wouldn't be so bad.

Well, that's it for now! I'll get busy with the next chapter. Rate, comment, eat a bagel with fish paste, DO WHATEVER YOU NEED TO DO.

Oh, and remember: Keep breathing!